Reading Through the Gospel- Final Day

Day 6 and the final day of reading through the Gospel of Mark. If you have not read the last chapter of Mark please do that. Watch the video above of Pastor Ron, even though he doesn’t share too much about the passage because he will be preaching on it this weekend. You will be able to hear that message by going to our website http://www.gloriadeionline.com and then go to the sermon section where it will be listed.

After reading the last chapter of Mark, what were your reflections?

After reading through the Gospel this week, what has been your overall reaction? What have you learned that you didn’t know? What was your biggest take away from this discipline?

My reflections on Mark 16:

From the darkness of Good Friday to the very beginnings of the light of the Resurrection. The women came sad and left trembling and astonished. Could it possibly be that he is no longer in the tomb? What happened to him? Did someone take his body?Full of questions but different questions and feelings than what they came with.

Take note here that most Bibles have a little note after verse 8. It reads, “Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9-20.” Do not allow this to cause you alarm or throw you into a tailspin. Some people believe Mark ended his book at verse 8. At a later time some of Mark’s disciples added in verses 9-20 with what they heard him speak. I tend to be on the side that believes Mark meant to leave the last part off. With the fast pace nature of the book and the intent of showing Jesus to be the Son of God, he accomplished what he wanted and would have been happy for the book to end with people knowing the tomb was empty. He knew that someone else would pick up where he left off.

An example: Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion of the Christ” received many harsh judgements because at the end of the movie there wasn’t a huge resurrection scene. Jesus simply gets up, the linens are folded and he walks out into the light. That is the story he wanted to tell. He showed who Jesus was by what he said and what he did. To show that it was complete, he shows Jesus coming out of the tomb. What else do you need? You have a death and you have a resurrection; which is the story and the reason we have forgiveness and victory!

There is some good stuff that happens in verses 9-16 (and some stuff that has been distorted, like the poison and snake handling) but I like the book ending with trembling and astonishment. What do you think? Did Mark intend for the book to continue? Or do you think from your reading that he would have wanted it to end at the empty tomb? It is okay either way, just wanted to see what you thought.